


Promises.

by matlingsworth



Category: Degrassi
Genre: AU, Childbirth, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-08
Updated: 2014-06-08
Packaged: 2018-02-03 22:12:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1758277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matlingsworth/pseuds/matlingsworth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU in which Campbell survived the greenhouse incident, and reflects on his life in a delivery room. A story about the fragility of life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promises.

Breathe, Campbell thought. The concept isn’t difficult: inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. Though he’d been practicing relentlessly with his therapist, Campbell Saunders still couldn’t bring himself to control his breathing. The din of the delivery room made his head whirl, and the sensation of fingernails digging into his hand didn’t help. Campbell shifted his gaze from the linoleum tile to Maya’s face. Her blonde hair was strewn about, her bangs sticky with sweat. Though her face read pain, her eyes showed strength. Campbell smiled, he’d always loved that about Maya; her eyes gave her emotions away.

Having a child felt surreal to Campbell, like a fever dream. Ten years ago he’d nearly ended his own life, and now here he stood next to the woman he loved, awaiting the birth of his first child. The notion that this child--nay, his child--was going to be his responsibility and life for the next eighteen years left Campbell shaken. He gazed at the healed silver slices on his wrists. Sure, he’d come a long way since the greenhouse incident, but he questioned his paternal capabilities.

Campbell’s welling anxiety was cut short by Maya’s nails momentarily digging further into his hand, and the faint sound of mewling. In the arms of a short nurse was his son, bright pink and bloodied. Maya exhaled and smiled, gazing at her awestruck boyfriend. His eyes didn’t dare move from the blanket-bundled babe, who the nurse handed off to Maya.  
Campbell pointed at the miniscule boy’s face. “He looks like…”

“He looks like his father.” Maya said. She gently kissed the child’s forehead and gently lifted him towards Campbell. Surprised, Campbell steadied his hands and held the boy gently. His mouth shifted into a smile. In his very own hands, Campbell Saunders held his near-identical son. His scars tingled. He stared down at his swaddled son and Campbell’s heart caught in his throat. In that moment, Campbell Saunders realized how precious life was. How nobody, especially not his own child, should ever know the mental hailstorm of prodigy and illness and blood on greenhouse floors, hours spent in therapy and years gone to waste. He looked down the the boy, no larger than his forearm, and whispered, “I promise.”


End file.
